


Mistletoe Bough

by N N West (raynewton)



Category: The Professionals
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-19
Updated: 2013-09-19
Packaged: 2017-12-27 01:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/972887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raynewton/pseuds/N%20N%20West
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Retelling of a poetic legend</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mistletoe Bough

The Mistletoe Bough

by N.N. WEST

There is an old, old story...

The mistletoe hung in the castle hall,  
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall,  
And the Baron's retainers were blithe and gay  
And keeping their Christmas holiday.

The Baron beheld with a father's pride  
His beautiful child, young Lovell's bride.  
While she with her bright eyes seemed to be  
The star of the goodly company.

"I'm weary of dancing now," she cried.  
"Here, tarry a moment - I'll hide - I'll hide!  
And Lovell, be sure thou'rt the first to trace  
The clue to my secret lurking place."

Away she ran, and her friends began  
Each tower to search, each nook to scan;  
And Lovell cried, "Oh where dost thou hide?  
I'm lonesome without thee, my own dear bride."

They sought her that night, they sought her next day  
And they sought her in vain when a week passed away.  
In the highest, the lowest, the loneliest spot,  
Young Lovell sought wildly, but found her not.

The years flew by, and their grief at last  
Was told as a sorrowful tale long past;  
And when Lovell appeared the children cried,  
"See! The old man weeps for his fairy bride."

At length an oak chest that had long lain hid  
Was found in the castle. They raised the lid -  
And a skeleton form lay mouldering there  
In the bridal wreath of that lady fair!

Oh sad was her fate! In sportive jest  
She hid from her lord in the old oak chest.  
It closed with a spring - and, dreadful doom,  
The bride lay clasped in her living tomb!

Thomas Haynes Bayly.

 

A sad, pretty tale. But - as so often happens - tradition didn't get the  
details *quite* right...

*****

The ancient walls of the castle rang with joy and laughter. Everyone, from  
the Baron Ilex himself to the lowest scullion, had his appointed task and  
occupied himself cheerfully. Busiest of all were the women, for it was not  
only Christmas Day but the bridal day of the Lady Ann, the Baron's only  
daughter.

As was custom she had been betrothed since childhood to Lord Lovell, heir to  
the neighbouring province. The gossip in the castle counted the Lady Ann  
fortunate on several counts. Unlike the situation for many young women of  
her wealth and rank, her betrothed was of her own age, and was reported to  
be pleasing both in appearance and character. Moreover, they were not total  
strangers; since their lands adjoined they had met on several occasions over  
the years, and had found that they were in accord on many topics.

For the last few years they had not met, since young Lovell had been on the  
King's service. However, this very afternoon a messenger had confirmed that  
he rode to claim his bride; he had been delayed on the road, but would  
arrive within the hour.

No sooner had the Baron broadcast the message than the bustle intensified as  
every soul within the castle flocked to complete the last-minute  
preparations, and tongues wagged excitedly at the thought of the changes the  
arrival of the young lord would bring.

It was the thought of those changes that occupied me as I looked forth from  
the watchtower. I had served the Baron for some three years now; lately the  
peaceful routine of garrison life - which had seemed so attractive a few  
years ago - had begun to pall ever-so-slightly. I had been thinking back  
wistfully to my mercenary days. If young Lovell had his own ideas on how the  
castle should be garrisoned, I wasn't at all sure that I'd be entirely sorry  
to go back to a life I had thought to have left behind me.

*****

A cloud of dust on the road heralded the approach of the bridegroom and his  
entourage. I left the watchtower and descended to the courtyard, taking my  
place in plenty of time to witness the Baron's welcome to his daughter's  
betrothed.

Word had already been received that the old Lord was too ill to ride to his  
son's bridal; young Lovell had ridden, therefore, with but a small retinue,  
more as a soldier than a lover.

My professional eye ranged over the group, noting with approval their  
bearing, their appearance, their arms. No mere honour guard this - these  
were fighting men, a strange choice this for a wedding procession. I shifted  
my gaze to Lovell's groomsman, and had my answer.

"Bodie!"

Aye, for sure, any man who rode with the renowned mercenary captain - as I  
myself had done not so many years since - would look the part. I studied my  
former commander, marvelling at how little the man had altered - the smooth  
pale skin, the glowing sapphire eyes, the short-cropped hair ruffled into  
waves as he unhelmed, all unchanged, all dearly familiar.

And - now that I spared a moment to look - I knew Lovell, too.

Titles of rank went unheeded on the field of battle, but who having once  
looked upon Raymond Doyle could forget that flawed seraph's face? He had  
joined Bodie's band not long before my departure. An inexplicable but  
undeniable magic had flared between the two men, and Doyle had quickly found  
place for himself at Bodie's side and in his bed. I had never thought their  
relationship one of mere convenience, as so many were; that Bodie and Doyle  
should ride together still, even to Doyle's wedding, proved that I had  
judged aright.

The welcome over, the groom and his escort were shown to their quarters to  
change for the wedding. I followed swiftly, eager to speak with Bodie again.  
I owed him much - as an over-pretty, innocent youth I would have fared badly  
but for his protection. That was before he met Ray Doyle, of course...

To my surprise he was alone. He knew me at once, and kissed me soundly for  
old times' sake; any hope I might have entertained of winning him back faded  
with that kiss.

"Where's Ray?" I asked, accepting the glass of wine he handed me.

Bodie shruqged. "Gone to see the Lady Ann. You know Ray - he won't break his  
betrothal, but he believes she should be told how things are between us.  
Then, if she chooses not to go ahead with the wedding, we'll leave; if she  
still wants it, it's her decision. So what've you been up to all this time,  
Murphy? Never thought to see you as garrison commander."

I shrugged. "Fancied a spell of the quiet life, didn't I? Trouble is, it's  
beginning to feel just a bit too quiet."

"Know just what you mean," he grinned. "Tell you what, why don't you ride  
with us when we leave? I can always use a good man, Murph, and you were one  
of the best."

"No reason why not," I agreed. "My contract with the Baron's up. I agreed to  
stay on over the wedding, and he wants me to renew, but I haven't given him  
my answer yet."

"There you are, then. Perfectly timed."

We were discussing the details of Bodie's offer when the door opened and Ray  
Doyle walked in. His eyes went straight to Bodie and held the blue gaze for  
a moment before he swung round to greet me.

"'Lo, Murph," he nodded, pleased to see me.

We'd always worked well together, even though he was aware of what I'd once  
shared with Bodie. It didn't bother him any - he knew he came first, and  
always would. So did I.

"We'll talk later, huh?" he added. "Right now, Bodie and I have something to  
discuss."

"Shall I...?" I nodded discreetly towards the door, but he shook his head.

"Nah, stick around. This won't take long. Unless you mind, Bodie?"

"No problem. Murph knows the set-up, anyway." Bodie grinned at me, then  
looked back at Ray. "Did you see Ann?"

"Yeah, I saw her." Ray helped himself to wine and came to perch on the arm  
of Bodie's chair, ruffling the short silky hair with his free hand.

Bodie cast one challenging glance my way and slipped an arm around Ray's  
waist, deliberately possessive; I grinned back at him, letting him know I  
understood what he was telling me, and he nodded ruefully but did not  
release his hold.

"Quite funny, really," Ray continued. "You should've seen her women flapping  
about, telling me I couldn't see my bride on our wedding day. I got rid of  
them eventually, and told Ann about us."

"And? How did she take it?"

I was wondering that myself. The little madam I knew wouldn't take too  
kindly to being told that her about-to-be husband not only wanted someone  
else, but another man. Got a healthy, well-developed ego, the Lady Ann Ilex.  
Struck me as odd we hadn't heard the explosion from here.

Ray was looking relieved, however. "Not a bit like I expected. She wasn't  
too happy about it, obviously, but when I told her that we didn't have to go  
through with the wedding if she didn't want to, she said that maybe we  
should. It'd keep our two families sweet, and give you and me some  
protective cover if I had a wife."

My ears pricked up at that. Bodie's too, because he said, "Very altruistic  
of her. And what's she going to get out of it?"

"The way she looks at it, she's going to have to marry somebody. If she  
turns me down, there's no telling who her father will pick. He'd be a  
stranger, maybe someone old and ugly. She'd rather take a chance with me. So  
we're going ahead with the wedding. She's prepared to accept that you're a  
fact of my life, sunshine, and I won't ask questions about any of her...  
friends. We both know how important it is to avoid a scandal. Our only  
problem is the question of an heir for the House of Lovell, but we've agreed  
to talk about that later. How does it sound to you, Bodie?"

"Fine - better than I'd thought. She could've caused a lot of trouble for  
us." Reluctantly Bodie released his partner and stood up. "Well, we'd better  
get ready for the wedding, I suppose. See you later, Murphy?"

"Sure. There's a Christmas ball tonight to celebrate the wedding. See you  
both there."

I was distinctly uneasy as I took myself off to my own quarters. I'd seen a  
fair bit of Milady Ann during my time at Castle Ilex, and I just couldn't  
see her being concerned for anyone else. Sure, better the devil you know  
than the one you don't, but I simply didn't believe she'd be prepared to  
come second in her husband's life. Far too used to having attendance danced  
on her, that one. There was something very nasty brewing in that mean little  
mind, I was sure of it; didn't seem a lot I could do, though, other than  
keep an eye on her.

*****

The wedding went off without a hitch, likewise the banquet that followed.  
Lord Lovell and his new Lady began the dancing in the Great Hall, and it was  
a shame, really, to see the smiles and nods of approval that followed them.  
They were a beautiful couple, no two ways about it, but when you knew the  
truth as I did you couldn't help but notice how often Ray Doyle's eyes  
slanted towards the tall figure in black who stood watching his every move.

There wasn't the least trace of jealously in Bodie's expression. He was sure  
of himself and his lover. The only expression you could see was his approval  
and appreciation of Ray - and perhaps a faint trace of pity for the Lady  
Ann.

As the bridal couple mingled with their guests I stuck closer than glue to  
Lady Ann. I had the feeling that something significant was going to happen  
soon, and I wanted to be ready for it. Luckily, people like her seem to  
consider that servants and guardsmen are invisible, deaf and dumb. If you  
ever want to discover what's really going on in a household, ask the staff,  
that's my advice. So it was that when Lady Ann caught the sleeve of her  
cousin the Sieur Willis, a squireen with but a small property and little  
wealth, she seemed totally unaware of the fact that I could overhear what  
was said.

"Morton, he's played straight into our hands. I don't have time to explain  
now - meet me in the blue solar when I give the signal."

Willis nodded and moved on, leaving me to ponder over what I had heard. I  
was goinq to be present at that meeting, come what may, but I had to be sure  
that Bodie and Doyle were guarded. I caught Bodie's eye over the heads of  
the guests and made my way towards him; he was tense, having sensed from my  
attitude that something was wrong - we always had worked well together.

"For the love of god, get close to Ray and stay with him," I said tersely.  
"In fact, make sure that you both stay in full view until I get back to you.  
Something's going to happen soon. I don't know what, but I do have a lead.  
Trust my instinct on this, Bodie."

He nodded, having learned in the past that my hunches usually paid off. I  
moved away from him, reaching the door of the hall just as the Lady Ann  
called for silence.

"I'm tired of dancing!" she called. "Let's play a game. I'll go and hide,  
and you must seek me out. Lovell, be sure you're the one to find me!"

Ray nodded, laughing, then I saw his face change as Bodie reached his side  
and whispered in his ear. The Lady Ann brushed past me and hurried along the  
corridor; in the hall behind me I could hear the guests beginning to count.

*****

There are ways through Castle Ilex known only to me, secret passages built  
into the walls and long lost. A short while before I'd discovered a map  
giving the layout, and had been checking them out before revealing my  
discovery to the Baron. I was grateful, now, that I'd said nothing.

One of those passages took me to the blue solar, a long-disused room in the  
oldest part of the castle, well before Lady Ann. I halted in front of the  
spy-hole and peered through, only to find my view blocked by tapestries. The  
concealed door opened stiffly and I slipped through, to find that there was  
enough room to conceal myself behind the hangings, and that I could see and  
hear clearly through the folds.

I did not have long to wait before the Lady Ann came hurrying in, Willis  
close behind her. Their greeting was a passionate embrace, and I grew even  
more afraid for Ray.

"Well?" Willis demanded at last. "What has happened, Ann?"

"Our chance, Morton. Lovell came to see me just before the wedding to offer  
to set me free. He has... a lover."

"So do most men of his rank," Willis snorted. "How does that help us?"

"Because his lover is Bodie. He offered to set me free, but I told him to go  
through with the marriage."

"Why did you do that? It was the perfect chance to be free of him."

"Even so, my father would never allow us to marry. Listen, Morton, I've  
thought it all out. We can be together, with Lovell's wealth and property."

"How?"

"Later tonight Lovell and I will be formally bedded, as is the custom. He  
will not remain with me long once the witnesses have left. You must be on  
hand to follow him, and be sure that he goes to Bodie's quarters. Then, our  
story is simple. I will awake, find myself alone, and go seeking my husband.  
You will tell me that you have seen him, and offer to escort me. I will  
enter Bodie's rooms to discover my husband in the arms of his leman. Alerted  
by my screams of horror and outrage, you will rush in and slay the brute in  
his lover's very embrace. Lovell will be dead, and Bodie will burn for his  
sin. You must get me with child this very night, and it will be thought to  
be Lovell's heir; after due time, a wronged and widowed wife will be  
permitted to wed the husband of her choice. Your child will be heir to  
Lovell, and we will be together."

I listened in horror. Her plan could work. Oh, I could foil it for this  
night, if I told Ray not to leave his wife's bed, but a mind that could  
conceive such a plan would not be thwarted for ever, and I could not hope to  
learn of every plan she might form. Ray was in deadly danger every moment he  
remained married to this harpy, and so too was Bodie, for the church was  
strong in these parts, and looked with horror on men who lay with men. If my  
friends were to be safe, the danger must be removed - permanently.

The Lady Ann was speaking again. "Go now, Morton. We should not risk being  
seen together. But you know what to do?"

"I know," he answered, clasping her close for a moment before he kissed her  
and departed.

Alone, the Lady Ann permitted herself a smile of malicious triumph. "So,  
Raymond Doyle," she hissed, "you think I will tamely make way for you to  
pleasure yourself with your male lover. The only thing I regret is that you  
will not hear his screams as the flames take him." Her lips curled cruelly.  
"Perhaps... perhaps I shall ask that Morton's sword does not strike true. If  
I can arrange unimpeachable witnesses, you may yet share the fire... I shall  
think further."

It was at that moment I heard the distant sound of laughter in the corridor.  
I had forgotten the game. The Lady Ann, it seemed, had not. Even in this she  
could not bear to be defeated - she must win in all things at all costs. I  
watched as she looked around consideringly in search of a hiding-place,  
stiffening as her gaze passed over my place of concealment. She appeared to  
reject the hangings as being too obvious, however, but then I heard her give  
a cry of triumph as she crossed the room out of my sight. I moved to see  
what had drawn her attention, and watched as she climbed carefully into a  
large oak chest that stood in the corner of the room. She drew the lid down  
until it balanced on the catch; from a distance it was impossible to tell  
that the chest was open.

The voices in the corridor drew closer. Even as the solution flashed into my  
mind I was moving, crossing the floor to press firmly on the lid of the  
chest, slotting it into place. My other hand reached for the tapestries,  
pulling the thick, muffling folds down over the chest, blotting out both  
sight - and the sound of anything within. Scarcely breaking my stride I  
walked out into the corridor, in time to meet the group of laughing youths  
and girls as they turned the corner.

"Ah, Captain!" one of the girls greeted me. "Have you seen the Lady Ann?"

"She didn't pass me as I came up," I replied truthfully. "Perhaps you're  
looking in the wrong part of the castle - there's little here to draw a  
lovely bride on her wedding day."

Persuaded, they turned to continue the search elsewhere.

I knew I had little time to spare. Re-entering the room I dragged the chest  
behind the hangings and into the passageway. It took a little time, working  
alone, to rehang the tapestries, but I managed it at last, and any slight  
unevenness was easily accounted for by the long disuse of the room. For a  
moment I stepped into the corridor, listening intently, satisfying myself  
that nothing could be heard, then back into the room to scatter the dust  
more evenly, hiding the trail that the chest had made when I dragged it  
across the floor.

At last I looked around, satisfied that no-one could tell what had happened  
here, then I slipped behind the hangings and into the passage, closing the  
concealed door for the last time. For a moment I looked at the chest,  
ignoring the muffled banging and the low cries I could hear, telling myself  
that to acknowledge them meant Ray's and Bodie's lives eventually. The  
sounds faded quickly as I moved away. I have done much harder things in my  
time.

The hidden ways took me back to my own quarters where I washed and brushed  
the dust from my clothes; satisfied that nothing looked amiss I went down to  
join the company below.

*****

Ray and Bodie were searching, I found, but in company with a group of  
laughing young people. I took up my post near the Baron and let events take  
their course.

As the evening wore on the search parties wandered back, increasingly  
bewildered as time passed and there was no trace of the Lady Ann. The Baron  
ordered a full-scale search, but as dawn broke it gradually became obvious  
to all that the Lady Ann had mysteriously vanished from the castle, although  
the guards swore that she had not left by any of the gates.

At one point in the early hours of the morning Bodie drew me aside. "I  
haven't said anything to Ray," he said quietly, "but I have the feeling you  
know what's going on, Murph."

"Me?" I looked at him innocently. "How can I be responsible for the fact  
that a grown woman has vanished in a castle full of her friends and  
kinsfolk? Be reasonable, Bodie!" I'd thought about telling him what I'd  
done, but decided against it - I couldn't be sure he wouldn't tell Ray, and  
Lovell's air of bewildered anxiety, as well as the fact that he had  
witnesses to his every move, kept them both clearly above suspicion.

Bodie looked at me curiously for a few moments, then nodded. "If you do  
know, you won't tell me; if you don't, there's no point in keeping on at  
you," he said at last.

"Yeah. And just remember what my old grandmother used to say. There's  
usually a good reason for most things that happen."

"I'll remember that," he assured me as we parted.

Well, we kept looking until even the Baron had to admit that the Lady Ann  
was not going to be found. Most of the guests went home within the first few  
days, leaving the grieving family alone to mourn. Life had to go on,  
however, and two weeks later Bodie and Doyle took their leave of Baron Ilex  
and returned to Castle Lovell; as Bodie had asked, I rode with them.

*****

Time passed. Although we were often on the King's business it seemed that  
the three of us bore charmed lives, for though sometimes wounded we were  
never seriously injured, and all our enterprises were crowned with success.

Some two years later it chanced that I rode alone to Castle Ilex with  
messages for the Baron. He welcomed me, and my old quarters were assigned to  
me for the night. There was no-one to see if in the dark hours I rose and  
made my way along the well-remembered route. Moonlight flooding into the  
solar showed me that little had changed, save that the hangings I had once  
torn down had now fallen of their own accord. The hidden door opened easily,  
and it was the work of a few moments to drag the chest to its original  
position, heaping the folds of tapestry over it so that it was fully  
concealed. As I had done once before, I removed all traces of my presence  
and returned to my room.

Following my old habit I visited the guardroom before I left the following  
morning, and listened to the gossip of the men-at-arms. I had never created  
a legend before, but as I listened to their talk I knew that future  
generations would hear the tale of The Mistletoe Bride.

*****

Epilogue

Many years later Bodie rode through a gathering storm for the gate of Castle  
Ilex, forced to break his journey on his return to Castle Lovell where Ray  
awaited him, as lovely and as loving as ever despite the grey that dusted  
the rebellious curls.

The years had been kind to them. Murphy had married Ray's sister, and their  
children would inherit the Lovell title and lands. Castle Ilex had passed  
into the hands of a distant branch of the family, for Willis, who had become  
the old Baron's heir, had perished of the wasting sickeness many years ago.

The mystery of the Lady Ann had never been solved, but as Bodie was greeted  
by Lord Richard, the young heir to Ilex, who hero-worshipped the former  
soldier, it became clear that something strange had happened.

"Come and see!" Lord Richard insisted, practically dragging Bodie into the  
castle. "You were here when it happened, weren't you? To think, after all  
this time, we know what became of the Lady Ann."

Bodie submitted to being guided into the oldest part of the castle, a part  
he had never entered before.

"We were making some alterations," Lord Richard chattered on, "when we found  
it. The workmen called me to open the chest, in case there was something of  
value in it, and... Well, look for yourself."

They had entered a small, sunny room, perhaps once a solar. In one corner  
stood a stout, carved oak chest.

"Lift the lid," Lord Richard said quietly. "But be prepared." Bodie did so,  
half expecting what he would see. Within the chest lay a human skeleton  
draped in the rotting remains of a bridal gown. The clawed hands were raised  
before the face, as if with her dying breath the woman had scrabbled  
frenziedly at the lid in a last desperate effort to escape.

A flash of colour caught his eye. Bodie's hand moved quickly as he leaned  
over the chest; when he stood up again there was nothing to be seen.

"She wanted to play hide-and-seek," he said slowly, remembering. "She must  
have hidden in the chest, the lid snapped shut, and she couldn't open it. In  
this remote part of the castle, no-one thought to look for her. All these  
years..."

"Still, at last we know, and she will be given decent burial," Lord Richard  
said softly.

Bodie looked down expressionlessly at the naked skull. "Let her rest in  
peace," he said.

***

The following morning, as Bodie rode in bright sunshine towards Castle  
Lovell, he opened his hand and gazed thoughtfully at the tiny scrap of blue  
silk that rested in the palm of his hand. He had an excellent memory -  
Murphy had worn a tunic of just such a colour on Ray's wedding day.

The expressive mouth curved as Bodie thought back over the last twenty years  
he had spent with Ray Doyle. They were worth any price. And... Murphy always  
had very good reasons for what he did...

Deliberately Bodie opened his hand and allowed the tiny scrap of fabric to  
float away on the wind.

 

[end]


End file.
